Idris Wase, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives has debunked ruling that Nigerians living in the diaspora should not submit a petition on issues affecting them back home.
“I have a petition from the mutual union of the Tiv in America against the federal government of Nigeria and the issue has to do with the ancestral land of the TiV people that seems to have been possessed in recent times through various attacks and the fact that they are languishing in IDP camps till date without any intervention,” Gbillah said.
As Gbillah read further the deputy speaker cut him short asking if he just mentioned Tiv in America.
Gbillah responded to Wase saying the petition is from the mutual union of Tiv people living in America.
The deputy speaker, however, said “if they are in America could they really be an interested party here? Do they really know what is exactly going on?”
Gbillah told Wase that the petitioners understand what is going on the country as they have family members in Nigeria and that is why they brought the petition as a group.
Gbillah also insisted that some members of MUTA are students who are temporary residents in America and will return to Nigeria.
Wase then said “I don’t want to make a blanket statement regarding those who are in diaspora.”
“If this petition is coming from those who are within the country, I believe it has a very block standard. But those living in America, then coming to lodge complain,” Wase said.
“I am not stopping that, but I am saying if they are Nigerians and living in Nigeria and bringing issues, I agree. But somebody in America who is far away from this country,” Wase said
Wase’s comments had generated widespread criticisms with many accusing him of disregarding the plight of the displaced persons. Puma said Wase’s contention was on the “legality of the petitioners and not on whether Nigerians in the diaspora have a right to petition the house or not.
“Are the Petitioners represented here in Nigeria via a Nigerian Office or a Legal Practitioner or are they totally absent from the scene? Are they registered as an Association with the Corporate Affairs Commission? If they are absent and a hearing were to be organized, who would the members of the Committee on Public Petition be addressing, questioning or interrogating? Would the Petitioners be able to give first-hand witness testimony as to the issues raised in their petition? These and other technical complications were what the Deputy Speaker tried to interrogate, to which sufficient answers were not provided thus stalling the presentation of the Petition,” Puma said.